Can't Stop Me From Loving You // Mullette

Similarities

3RD PERSON POV

Laff and Herc sat down for breakfast at IHOP. They both ordered and then began talking.

"So what was the occasion? I am sure you have to be pretty happy to dance around like that." Laughed Laff, remembering the sight of Hercules dancing happily around the room.

Hercules blushed. "Oh, you know, just... excited for the New York fashion show next month. I have 5 designs that are going to be in it." He lied.

"That is amazing, mon ami!" Lafayette twirled a strand of hair around his finger, he had decided to leave it down that day. "So, what type of things do you do besides designing clothes for fashion shows?"

Hercules thought for a moment. "Well, sometimes I take old clothes and upcycle them. I also have an online store where I sell one of a kind pieces. I take requests, but I prefer thinking of ideas on my own."

"That sounds fun, mon ami. At my current job, I spend all day baking. It is very fun, but I prefer the decorating."

Hercules nodded. "I always preferred decorating when I would bake with my grandma." He paused for a moment. "So, are you from France? You have a bit of an accent." He laughed.

"Oh do I? I did not notice." Laff joked. "Yes, I am from France, I moved here to go to college. My family got angry at me for leaving so we do not speak very often." Laff didn't add that they were just as angry about something else much larger than him leaving the country.

"That's too bad. My family is ok. My dad was a bit on edge around me when I first came out, but he got used to it after a while." Laff nodded. "If you don't mind me asking, are you gay? I noticed you said you were living with your boyfriend."

"Oui, I was living with my boyfriend. I am gay actually." Explained Lafayette.

HERCULES' POV

When he said he was gay, my heart began beating faster. I had already known he was into guys, but this confirmed it. I actually had a chance with him.

We continued chatting as we ate breakfast, then I got a call.

"Sorry, I have to take this." I walked outside. "Hello?" 

"Hercules!" Said a man's voice.

"Thomas? Why are you calling me?" I asked.

"What, an ex-boyfriend can't call his ex-boyfriend?" He asked. I could practically hear his smirk.

"Not usually. There's a reason I don't talk to you anymore, even if the rest of our friends do." I snarled.

"Well, I just wanted to say I saw you with Lafayette at Angie's party. I would've said hi, but you seemed busy." He paused then added, "And I can't stand either of you."

I was surprised. "You know Laff?" I asked.

He scoffed. "We were dating up until two days ago. So are you two together now?"

Wait, he had been dating Thomas? But he had said he was abusive... Thomas had never physically hurt me.

"Did you hurt Laff? Physically?" I asked fiercely.

"Hey, I didn't do anything to him that wasn't done to me first." Was all he said. 

"Did. You. Hit. Laff?" I was seething with anger.

"Maybe. Are you dating him?" He asked.

"No, I'm not. Now can you give me a real answer?" I snapped.

"No." He hung up.

I stormed back into the restaurant and sat down across from Laff. He looked up at me, startled.

"Are you ok mon ami? You look angry." He inquired worriedly.

"Are you done eating?" He nodded. "Let's go, I'll tell you what happened in the car." Luckily, Angie had sent someone to bring my car back to my house. I was amazed at how flagrant that girl was with her money.

Once we were in the car, I told him what had happened.

"Oh, mon ami! I had no idea you also dated Jefferson. Yes, he did hit me a few times, but when I said abusive, I meant emotionally mostly." 

I nodded, then hugged him. He stiffened up in surprise at first, then relaxed and returned the hug. We broke apart and made eye contact for a moment. I wanted to lean forward and kiss him, but I refrained. Instead, I put on my seatbelt.

"Where are we going to go?" asked Lafayette.

"We can go home if you don't feel like going anywhere, but I was going to ask if you wanted to go to John and Alex's place. I thought maybe we could hang out for the day."

"That sounds fun." Replied Laff, so I drove over there. When we got there we knocked on the door, I realized I hadn't even texted them to ask first.

"John, tell whoever it is to go away." I heard Alex's voice from inside. He sounded like he had been crying.

"Maybe it's one of our friends. That could cheer you up?" I heard John's voice reply.

There was silence. Finally Alex responded, "Fine."

John opened the door. "Hey guys, what are you doing here?"

"Sorry for not texting first, but we were wondering if you wanted to hang out." I answered.

"Sure, we were just going to watch movies and chill all day, if that's ok?" Asked John.

I was going to answer when Laff said from beside me, "That sounds perfect, mon ami." He took my hand as we walked in and sat on the couch. 

"Where is Alexander?" Asked Laff. 

"I'm right here." Said what I thought had been a pile of blankets. I turned and saw Alex's face sticking out from the pile, and nothing else. I laughed.

"That looks pretty comfy, Alex." I joked. 

He smiled, despite the fact that his eyes were slightly red and puffy. "It is."

John turned on Beauty and the Beast with Emma Watson. 

"Oh, I love this movie! My favorite character is Lumière." Said Laff, leaning on my shoulder to get comfortable. 

"Of course it is." I replied.

We all watched the movie and once it was over we ordered a pizza. John and Laff seemed to become friends quickly. Alex would've been talking to Laff, but he had fallen asleep in his blanket pile.

We all ate the pizza, leaving a couple slices for Alex, then began watching Mean Girls. Afterwards Laff kept saying "That's so fetch." until it drove John and I so crazy that John threatened to take Laff's phone and throw it out the window. That made him stop. 

We watched a few more movies, and at one point Alex woke up but he didn't talk to us. I wondered what was wrong, but didn't want to make him uncomfortable by asking. It got late, and we made an unspoken agreement that this was a sleepover.

Around midnight, Laff fell asleep on my shoulder, so I carried him to the guest room and laid him down. 

"Goodnight, mon amour." I whispered, remembering that from French class in high school.

"Goodnight." He whispered back.